I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and honestly, I think it’s safe to say we’re living in a world where we’re raising kids who aren’t as resilient as they could be. It feels like the message they’re getting is that all their feelings should be catered to, and that they should never have to do anything that’s hard or makes them unhappy.
The Problem with Instant Gratification
But here’s the thing: that’s just not how the world works! We’re teaching them a lie when we say they should never have to work hard for something they don’t immediately see the benefit in. Every single one of us has had to do things we don’t like, and we’ve all had to struggle through tough times. We fail, we get back up, and that’s how we learn.
The Lack of “Push Through”
I’m seeing kids who just don’t have that “push through” when they hit a wall. They can’t seem to think for themselves or figure out how to navigate around a problem. Their critical thinking skills are lacking, and I don’t think this is just a “COVID thing.” It feels like it’s a societal issue, where we want to shelter them from everything.
It’s Not About Sheltering from Everything
Now, I’m not saying we should expose kids to violence or anything like that. But we’re doing them a disservice when we make them think everyone will always hug them when something goes wrong, or that they’ll get praise for doing nothing of significance. We’re weakening their minds when we don’t tell them when they haven’t been successful.
Mental Health vs. Reality
I’m all for keeping their mental health in mind, but that’s only one piece of the puzzle. We can’t keep coddling them when they’ve done something wrong or haven’t worked hard. We can’t just hand them the goal anyway. And they need to be able to take a little criticism. We all need feedback, not hate, but constructive criticism. If we never hear where we’re failing or how we can improve, we’ll grow up unable to handle any critical comments.
What I’m Seeing in the Classroom
As someone who’s been an educator for 18 years at the high school level, I see it firsthand. Students don’t want to figure things out on their own. They want me to give them exactly what they need to get the grade they want. It’s not about actually learning the content, even if they’re sure they won’t go into that field. Their main goal is just to pass the class. Even advanced students are looking for shortcuts instead of wanting to really think critically and learn the topic.
